Top stars sing for Tibet

With less than 3 weeks to go before the Games, some of the most famous stars in show business are lending their voices to the latest stand on behalf of Tibet — a move that’s sure to anger the Chinese government. Sting, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Alanis Morissette, Moby and a host of others are performing on an album entitled “Songs for Tibet,” the International Campaign for Tibet announced in a press release on Tuesday. “We wanted to express our support for the Tibetan people and their message of peace through music, a fundamental means of expression, at a time when the eyes of the world are on China,” said Michael Wohl, one of the album’s organizers. The album’s global release on iTunes is scheduled for August 5, three days before the Olympic opening ceremonies.Sting et. al are not the first celebrities to express their opinions on the Tibet issue. As AFP reports, Icelandic artist Bjork “earned the ire” of Chinese authorities when she yelled “Tibet” several times during a concert in Shanghai in March, motivating Beijing to toughen restrictions on foreign performers. Shortly after, American singer Harry Connick Jr. was subjected to the “heavy-handed tinkering of his set list” by Chinese censors before a performance at the Shanghai International Gymnastics Center. So far, we have not heard of a response from Beijing to “Songs for Tibet.”Photo by Scott Ableman.